Oh wow, it’s that time of the year again! I swear 2021 flew past just like that. Arguably, it’s a better year than it was before as we are slowly getting used to the situation, but it is incredibly eventful for me in both the good and the bad ways—which affects my reading habits. There were some months when I had the chance to read more than I usually would, but there are also others that kept me from flipping through books instead. It got me kind of behind on books, to be honest—only two more to go until the goal!
Just like in 2020, this year was a pretty good reading year for me. I’ve got the chance to cross things off my TBR and indulge in some of the best titles—nothing below 3 stars again! I also branched out a lot more geographically in my readings, whilst tackling some thick exemplars in the process. Without further ado, here are the top 10 books I’ve read in 2021—countdown mode.
10. Fahrenheit 451
Ray Bradbury
Okay, this is actually the book I’m currently reading, so it might be too soon to say. However, so far as I’m reading, it’s been such a thrilling ride. This book is such a classic, that I don’t even remember where I heard about it the first time. I also didn’t really know its premise before purchasing, but I took the plunge anyway. The story, it turns out, takes place in a world where firemen no longer put out fire, but instead start one to incinerate books—it is illegal to possess books in this world.
Since I’m still in the process of getting through it, I cannot yet say much about it. However, the vibe feels like a criticism on ’50s society in the U.S.—when and where the book was written. It is also reminiscent of another book in this list.
9. The Reason I Jump
Naoki Higashida
I first learnt of this book by watching a short documentary program on NHK. Apparently, this book is written by an autistic teenage boy—at the time only 13 years old—to shed some light on an insider’s perspective about what it feels like to live with autism. With the help of his Alphabet Grid and his mother, he managed to finish this inspiring volume. It is written in a Q&A format, which makes it incredibly easy to read and understand.
It struck a personal chord in me, since I also have a close relative who lives with autism. Of course, what Naoki goes through may not be entirely the same as all autistic children in the world—there are varying spectrums, as we know—but it does allow a peek into the mind of an autistic person.
8. Trigger Warning
Neil Gaiman
Yet another short story compilation by the great Neil Gaiman—his latest one, if I’m not mistaken. This one in particular deals with ‘who we are under our masks,’ as the author himself said. It reveals our little triggers and the unexpected outcome that we may get. A longtime fan of his work, I’m very familiar with Gaiman’s writing style—that may differ from one story to the next, but remains typically his somehow. The stories in this book often take on varying forms, time periods and genres, so there’s really something for everyone.
Some of the titles I love most include The Thing About Cassandra, A Calendar of Tales, Black Dog, ‘The Truth Is a Cave in the Black Mountains…,’ My Last Landlady, Orange, Click-Clack the Rattlebag, ‘And Weep, Like Alexander’ and Nothing O’Clock—in that order.
7. Never Home Alone
Rob Dunn
The first non-fiction that I read and one that I devoured by being bedridden—due to my health. It was very fitting. Attracted first by the cover and later by the premise, this book was purchased on a discount. It reveals a lot about biodiversity in our own homes and how that can actually be beneficial for us. While a lot of the data being used are concentrated mostly in one area of the world, the insights are still very applicable no matter where you live.
Such a perfect book to read about the pandemic as well, because it teaches us how we can increase our immunity and antibodies by administering biodiversity in our homes—both through creatures we can and cannot see.
6. Nineteen Eighty-Four
George Orwell
Who doesn’t know this book, honestly? I feel like it’s been mentioned in pop-culture so many times—especially since the rise of technology. It is probably one of the most popular early dystopian works in the world. Written in 1949, the story is set in a world where the government—Big Brother—is constantly watching their people, so they always know if anyone deviates from the set of rules they created. Children are indoctrinated from early one, while adults are forced to conform.
Such an eerie and jarring story that has turned into reality today, this book hits too close to home at times. The scariest thing, for me, is the fact that nobody realises it happening in real life. Yet it is, and even so much worse.
5. The Lacuna
Barbara Kingsolver
Although this is the thickest book I read this year, I enjoyed the whole ride until the end. The story follows the life of a young man named Harrison Shepherd, who moves from the U.S. to Mexico with his Mother when he is 13 years old. He later on meets and becomes quite close to Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera and Lev Trotsky in a world filled with art, culture, politics and Mexican food—which, little does he know, will affect him for the rest of his life.
This story reminds me so much of The Goldfinch—and the main boy Theo. I felt quite similar for Harrison as I did for Theo—constantly rooting for him to achieve happiness. Harrison’s story is so much more heartbreaking, however, since he is gay at a time when homosexuality was not yet accepted.
4. Hunger
Roxane Gay
For years, I’ve heard people—especially on YouTube—rave about this book. At first, I thought it was a book about culinary—or some philosophy behind food—but, apparently, I was off by a long mile. The book actually talks about the author’s personal experience with eating disorders and the sexual abuse she experienced that kickstarted it. Not only does it confirm my belief that eating disorders are more about mental health than physical health, it also sheds a light on the perspective of an obese young woman.
It was a refreshing read, to say the least, since I find that we often shut up the voices of overweight or extremely overweight people in society. And it’s not as simple as body image or positivity, but something much deeply rooted in our psyche. Highly recommended!
3. Dune
Frank Herbert
Ah, yes, probably the best-selling book of this year! Of course, I’ve got to read this one. Disclaimer: I didn’t really know what Dune was about before I decided to purchase it—story of my life, no? I’m not a huge sci-fi fan, but I was instantly enthralled by the story and writing style. As you probably already know from the film, the story takes place on a fictional planet that consists almost entirely of desert. Our main protagonist Paul is a foreign prince who just recently moved into this planet, only to have his entire life turned upside down.
Of course, that doesn’t even make a dent in the story—there are still so many things involved in the story—but I’m not going to tell you everything because it is so complex and intricate. I love so many aspects of this book, though, including its impeccable world-building, its well-rounded characterisation and its numerous quotable statements. I’m 100% sure this book is a metaphor for real-world situations, from which we can learn plenty.
2. Little Fires Everywhere
Celeste Ng
Also another story that has recently been turned into an on-screen adaptation. This book caught my attention first from the cover, but only later on through its story. The story deals with class and (probably) racial prejudice and it is set in the 90s. Set in an American suburban neighbourhood, it tells the story of two families from very different backgrounds whose lives collided when one rented housing from the other—and that is pretty much when trouble ensues.
Although I have yet to watch its Amazon Prime series, I can tell you that I really much prefer the book. I feel like the series added so many more details that are either unnecessary and/or trying to shove some kind of political agenda down our throat. In fact, the Warren family shouldn’t even be black—it shifted the problem from being about class, to being about race.
1. Homegoing
Yaa Gyasi
I am a huge sucker for intergenerational stories. Knowing the path of one’s ancestors, knowing how it leads up to where we are now; that is the magic of human history and its genes. That is what cultural identity is all about. That story anchors us all to an earlier point in time that shapes us today. This book deals with that, starting with two half-sisters who does not know each other’s relations and where their very different fates lead their descendants to—one half coming to America as slaves, the other half staying in Africa as tribespeople.
The stories spans over 300 years and around 4 generations. For me, it’s very heartwarming to know that the black people of the U.S.—who are now so identic to hip hop, the bronx and its own English lingo—had their roots too. We see a lot of Asian Americans still hold on to their roots, but African Americans were brought to the country differently. Their roots may have given them traumatic flashbacks to remember. But we all come from somewhere after all.
What a reading year, huh? This year was filled with so many classics and titles I’d coveted in my TBR for ages—to think that I got most of them secondhand is short of insane. Other than that, I’ve also been coming back to authors whose works I was already familiar with—including Barbara Kingsolver, George Orwell, Jeffrey Eugenides and Neil Gaiman. However, there are also books that felt like such a chore to read—obviously, none from this list. All in all, I would say it was a pretty balanced reading year. And only two more books left, before my reading goal is achieved. Wish me luck, guys!
What are the best books you read this year?
Oh wow, it’s that time of the year again! I swear 2021 flew past just like that. Arguably, it’s a better year than it was before as we are slowly getting used to the situation, but it is incredibly eventful for me in both the good and the bad ways—which affects my reading habits. There were some months when I had the chance to read more than I usually would, but there are also others that kept me from flipping through books instead. It got me kind of behind on books, to be honest—only two more to go until the goal!
Just like in 2020, this year was a pretty good reading year for me. I’ve got the chance to cross things off my TBR and indulge in some of the best titles—nothing below 3 stars again! I also branched out a lot more geographically in my readings, whilst tackling some thick exemplars in the process. Without further ado, here are the top 10 books I’ve read in 2021—countdown mode.
10. Fahrenheit 451
Ray Bradbury
Okay, this is actually the book I’m currently reading, so it might be too soon to say. However, so far as I’m reading, it’s been such a thrilling ride. This book is such a classic, that I don’t even remember where I heard about it the first time. I also didn’t really know its premise before purchasing, but I took the plunge anyway. The story, it turns out, takes place in a world where firemen no longer put out fire, but instead start one to incinerate books—it is illegal to possess books in this world.
Since I’m still in the process of getting through it, I cannot yet say much about it. However, the vibe feels like a criticism on ’50s society in the U.S.—when and where the book was written. It is also reminiscent of another book in this list.
9. The Reason I Jump
Naoki Higashida
I first learnt of this book by watching a short documentary program on NHK. Apparently, this book is written by an autistic teenage boy—at the time only 13 years old—to shed some light on an insider’s perspective about what it feels like to live with autism. With the help of his Alphabet Grid and his mother, he managed to finish this inspiring volume. It is written in a Q&A format, which makes it incredibly easy to read and understand.
It struck a personal chord in me, since I also have a close relative who lives with autism. Of course, what Naoki goes through may not be entirely the same as all autistic children in the world—there are varying spectrums, as we know—but it does allow a peek into the mind of an autistic person.
8. Trigger Warning
Neil Gaiman
Yet another short story compilation by the great Neil Gaiman—his latest one, if I’m not mistaken. This one in particular deals with ‘who we are under our masks,’ as the author himself said. It reveals our little triggers and the unexpected outcome that we may get. A longtime fan of his work, I’m very familiar with Gaiman’s writing style—that may differ from one story to the next, but remains typically his somehow. The stories in this book often take on varying forms, time periods and genres, so there’s really something for everyone.
Some of the titles I love most include The Thing About Cassandra, A Calendar of Tales, Black Dog, ‘The Truth Is a Cave in the Black Mountains…,’ My Last Landlady, Orange, Click-Clack the Rattlebag, ‘And Weep, Like Alexander’ and Nothing O’Clock—in that order.
7. Never Home Alone
Rob Dunn
The first non-fiction that I read and one that I devoured by being bedridden—due to my health. It was very fitting. Attracted first by the cover and later by the premise, this book was purchased on a discount. It reveals a lot about biodiversity in our own homes and how that can actually be beneficial for us. While a lot of the data being used are concentrated mostly in one area of the world, the insights are still very applicable no matter where you live.
Such a perfect book to read about the pandemic as well, because it teaches us how we can increase our immunity and antibodies by administering biodiversity in our homes—both through creatures we can and cannot see.
6. Nineteen Eighty-Four
George Orwell
Who doesn’t know this book, honestly? I feel like it’s been mentioned in pop-culture so many times—especially since the rise of technology. It is probably one of the most popular early dystopian works in the world. Written in 1949, the story is set in a world where the government—Big Brother—is constantly watching their people, so they always know if anyone deviates from the set of rules they created. Children are indoctrinated from early one, while adults are forced to conform.
Such an eerie and jarring story that has turned into reality today, this book hits too close to home at times. The scariest thing, for me, is the fact that nobody realises it happening in real life. Yet it is, and even so much worse.
5. The Lacuna
Barbara Kingsolver
Although this is the thickest book I read this year, I enjoyed the whole ride until the end. The story follows the life of a young man named Harrison Shepherd, who moves from the U.S. to Mexico with his Mother when he is 13 years old. He later on meets and becomes quite close to Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera and Lev Trotsky in a world filled with art, culture, politics and Mexican food—which, little does he know, will affect him for the rest of his life.
This story reminds me so much of The Goldfinch—and the main boy Theo. I felt quite similar for Harrison as I did for Theo—constantly rooting for him to achieve happiness. Harrison’s story is so much more heartbreaking, however, since he is gay at a time when homosexuality was not yet accepted.
4. Hunger
Roxane Gay
For years, I’ve heard people—especially on YouTube—rave about this book. At first, I thought it was a book about culinary—or some philosophy behind food—but, apparently, I was off by a long mile. The book actually talks about the author’s personal experience with eating disorders and the sexual abuse she experienced that kickstarted it. Not only does it confirm my belief that eating disorders are more about mental health than physical health, it also sheds a light on the perspective of an obese young woman.
It was a refreshing read, to say the least, since I find that we often shut up the voices of overweight or extremely overweight people in society. And it’s not as simple as body image or positivity, but something much deeply rooted in our psyche. Highly recommended!
3. Dune
Frank Herbert
Ah, yes, probably the best-selling book of this year! Of course, I’ve got to read this one. Disclaimer: I didn’t really know what Dune was about before I decided to purchase it—story of my life, no? I’m not a huge sci-fi fan, but I was instantly enthralled by the story and writing style. As you probably already know from the film, the story takes place on a fictional planet that consists almost entirely of desert. Our main protagonist Paul is a foreign prince who just recently moved into this planet, only to have his entire life turned upside down.
Of course, that doesn’t even make a dent in the story—there are still so many things involved in the story—but I’m not going to tell you everything because it is so complex and intricate. I love so many aspects of this book, though, including its impeccable world-building, its well-rounded characterisation and its numerous quotable statements. I’m 100% sure this book is a metaphor for real-world situations, from which we can learn plenty.
2. Little Fires Everywhere
Celeste Ng
Also another story that has recently been turned into an on-screen adaptation. This book caught my attention first from the cover, but only later on through its story. The story deals with class and (probably) racial prejudice and it is set in the 90s. Set in an American suburban neighbourhood, it tells the story of two families from very different backgrounds whose lives collided when one rented housing from the other—and that is pretty much when trouble ensues.
Although I have yet to watch its Amazon Prime series, I can tell you that I really much prefer the book. I feel like the series added so many more details that are either unnecessary and/or trying to shove some kind of political agenda down our throat. In fact, the Warren family shouldn’t even be black—it shifted the problem from being about class, to being about race.
1. Homegoing
Yaa Gyasi
I am a huge sucker for intergenerational stories. Knowing the path of one’s ancestors, knowing how it leads up to where we are now; that is the magic of human history and its genes. That is what cultural identity is all about. That story anchors us all to an earlier point in time that shapes us today. This book deals with that, starting with two half-sisters who does not know each other’s relations and where their very different fates lead their descendants to—one half coming to America as slaves, the other half staying in Africa as tribespeople.
The stories spans over 300 years and around 4 generations. For me, it’s very heartwarming to know that the black people of the U.S.—who are now so identic to hip hop, the bronx and its own English lingo—had their roots too. We see a lot of Asian Americans still hold on to their roots, but African Americans were brought to the country differently. Their roots may have given them traumatic flashbacks to remember. But we all come from somewhere after all.
What a reading year, huh? This year was filled with so many classics and titles I’d coveted in my TBR for ages—to think that I got most of them secondhand is short of insane. Other than that, I’ve also been coming back to authors whose works I was already familiar with—including Barbara Kingsolver, George Orwell, Jeffrey Eugenides and Neil Gaiman. However, there are also books that felt like such a chore to read—obviously, none from this list. All in all, I would say it was a pretty balanced reading year. And only two more books left, before my reading goal is achieved. Wish me luck, guys!
What are the best books you read this year?